Motor-vehicle.



No. 672,030. Patented Apr. I6, l90l. D. T. CLARK.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application filed Oct. 8, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

maman No. 672,030. Patented Apr. I6, |90I.

- D. T. CLARK.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application tiled Oct. 8, 1900.;

(No Model.) v 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2.

TH: Norms PETERS co.. woraumo,A wAsNmmon D c due to jolting or jarringof the vehicle will- UNITED STATES DANIEL T. CLARK, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION for-ming part of Letters Patent No. 672,030, dated April16, 1901.

Application iled October 8, 1900. Serial No. 32,362. (No model.)

and particularly to the running-gear thereof. Primarily the object ofthe invention is the n production of a running-gear frame of improvedconstruction whereby the gearing for actuating the driving-axle of thevehicle may be supported in such a manner that it will be kept incorrect engagement notwithstanding the character of the road-bed overwhich the vehicle is traveling and whereby it willmot be -aected by thejolting, swerving, or tilting.l

of said vehicle. V

A further object of the invention is the provision of yieldingconnections between the running-gear frame and the frame or other partfor sustaining the motor, the cons'truction being such that the gearingof the driving-axle and the motor will be prevented from disalinement,all movements of the parts be compensated for and taken up, andtheWeight of the motor will not be borne by the axle.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a truss-frame ofpeculiar construction for supporting the motor in such a Imanner thatits weight will not be sustained by the axle.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of amotor-vehicle with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan viewpartially in section. Fig. 3 is kan end View of a portion of thevehicle, showing the improved truss-frame, and also illustrating thesectional driving-axle and its universal joints. Fig. 4 is a section online 4 4, Fig. 3, looking in the direction ofthe arrow. Fig. 5 is a planview of a compensating gear, showing a manner in which power may beapplied to the sectional driving-axle. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig.3, but drawn to a smaller scale, illustrating multiple motors foroperating the vehicle.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the body of amotor-vehicle which may be of any desired kind, but is shown as of thesteam variety, 12 representing a steamgenerator located in said body.

' The numeral 13 designates in a general way the running-gear frame ofthe vehicle, which is composed of a front axle or cross-bar 14,reach-rods or lside bars 15, and an improved truss-frame (designated ina general Way by 16) for supporting the motor and the parts cooperatingtherewith. This truss-frame, as illustrated, is composed of three curvedrods or tubes, preferably the latter, shown triagonally disposed andmerging in tubular end portions 17 17', containing sockets for thereception of the reaches and serving as bearings for the driving-axle;but while this arrangement is preferable these rods may be differentlydisposed and the number thereof may be varied, as desired.

Suitable steering mechanism (designated by 18) and under the control ofthe operator by means of a lever or handle 19 is employed, and thissteering mechanism consists in the exemplication given of links 18 182,connected to levers 2O 20', for actuating the swiveling hubs of thesteering-wheels 21.

Depending from the steam-generator 12, or it may be from any othersuitable generator for the motive fluid, is a pipe 12' for conveyingsteam to the motor, and this pipe is articulated at 122 to another pipe22, leading to the cylinder of said motor.

Suitable springs 23 23 are employed for sustaining the body of thevehicle in a Well-known way, and the usual air and fuel tanks 24 arelocated in the body of the vehicle, a pipe 25,

controlled by a suitable valve, leading from one of said tanks to thevburner of the steamgenerator.

The rear or driving axle of the vehicle is designated by the numeral 26,and it is composed of sections which are united to each other byuniversal joints 27, for a purpose hereinafter explained, thedriving-wheels 28 being fastened to said axle in the ordinary way. Twoof these joints are carried by sleeves 27, splined to and fitted forsliding movement upon the axle, whereby the sections of said axle willbe permitted to telescope and conform to the movements of the motor whenthe wheels are passing over an uneven surface-as, for instance, when oneside of the vehicle is raised higher than the other.

Sleeved upon two of the truss-rods 162 163 are fittings 28' for thereception of bolts 29, and on each of these bolts is mounted a coiled orspiral spring 30.

The numeral 31 designates a motor-carrying frame (shown as a casing)provided at each of its sides with a pair of laterally-projectingperforated lugs 32, through which the bolts 29 pass, these lugs restingupon the top of the spiral spring 30, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4.Surrounding said rod above the perforated lugs 32 of the frame 31 aresprings 33, the tension of which may be regulated by nuts 34.

Located within the frame in the construction illustrated is a motor 35,which may be of any desired kind, but is shown as a triplecylinderengine, the piston-rods of which are connected with a crank 36 on ashaft 36, journaled in said frame, and also carried by this shaft is agear 37 in mesh with the gear 38 of a compensating gear 39 of commonconstruction and connected with the sectional axle, where itaccomplishes the usual result.

Connecting the curved rods or tubes 16 162 163, constituting thetruss-frame 16, are inclined tie-rods or tubes 40, which serve to bracesaid frame and render it rigid and un` yielding, and also connecting therods or tubes 162 16S are horizontal tie-rods or tubes 40', which bracethe frame at the bottom and hold the sections thereof rigidly in place.

Vllile a steam-motor is illustrated, it is distinctly to be understoodthat my invention is not limited thereto, for it includes within itspurview hydrocarbon, electric, and other forms of motor suit-able foroperating the driving-axle of the vehicle.

It will be seen that the frame 31, carrying the motor for operating thevehicle, is yieldingly supported by the springs 30 and 33 upon the bolts29, projecting from the sockets 28 of the truss-rods 162 163, the lugs32 of said frame beingintermediate said springs, so that should thevehicle in passing over uneven ground be jolted or jarred the frame andits contained motor will yield, and consequently there will be notendency of throwing the driving mechanism out of engagement or ofcramping the teeth of the gears. Furthermore, these springs take up thetorsional strains applied when starting or reversing the motor. Anymotion of the vehicle-frame is also compensated for by the yieldingsections of the driving-shaft 26, the universal coup? lings 27 andsleeves or short telescopic sections 27/ permitting said shaft toconform to the movements of the motor and the vehicle. Moreover, asabove stated, the weight of the motor and its frame is supported by thetrussrods and is consequently taken olf from the driving-axle.

Should it be desired to increase the power for driving the vehicle or todecrease the size of the motors, multiple frames or casings 45 and 46may be secured in the manner stated to the truss-rods and the power fromthe motors be applied directly' to the driving-axle without the use ofcompensating gears, in the manner above described.

It will be noticed by reference to Fig. 3 that the steam or othermotive-fluid delivery-pipe 12' is connected by a swinging coupling 122with the pipe 22, and said pipe is attached by another swinging coupling12s to a pipe 124, leading to the motor-cylinders, in virtue of whichconstruction as the casing moves up and down or otherwise conforms tothe Inovement of the vehicle said couplings will turn and preventbreakage of the piping connections described.

Any form of compensating gear desired may be substituted for that shownwithout departure from my invention, and many of the details of therunning-gear frame and truss connections thereof may be Widely variedand still be within the purview thereof. Moreover, the invention is notlimited to the application of power to the rear axle, for with suitablemodifications the truss-frame could be employed in connection with theforward or steering axle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In amotor-vehicle, the combination,with a motor, of a frame on which saidmotor is mounted; a driving-axle composed of yielding sections and withwhich the motor is connected; and means for yieldingly supporting saidframe connected with the driving-axle and independent of the body of thevehicle.

2. In a motor-vehicle, the combination,with a motor, of a frame carryingsaid motor; a driving-axle composed of yielding sections with which themotor is connected; means for yieldingly supporting the motor-frameconnected with the driving-axle and independent of the body of thevehicle; and gearing connecting the motor and said driving-axle.

3. In a motor-vehicle, the combination,with a driving-axle, of a seriesof truss-bars; bearings carried by said truss-bars and in which the axleis journaled; a motor connected with said axle; and means for yieldinglysuspending said motor between the truss-bars.

4. In a motor-vehicle,the combination,with a driving-axle composed ofsections united by means of universal joints,of a series of curvedtruss-bars; a motor frame yieldingly suspended between said bars; amotor carried by the frame; and gearing connecting said motor With thedriving-axle.

5. In a motor-vehicle,thecombination,with a motor, of means forsupplying motive fluid to said motor; a rear driving-axle composed ofyielding sections; a truss-frame having bearings in which the ends ofsaid axle are supported; a frame yieldingly suspended be- IOO IIO

IZO

tween the truss-bars; a motor carried by said frame; and means forconnecting said motor with the axle.

6. In a motor-vehicle,the con1bination,with a running-gear frame, of aseries of trussbars connected to said frame at the rear end thereof;acasing yieldinglysuspend by said truss-bars; a motor carried by thecasing and means connecting said motor with the driving-axle.

7. In a motor-vehicle,the combination,with a driving-axle, of a seriesof triagonally-disposed curved truss-bars constituting a frame; amotive-)duid generator carried by the body of the vehicle; a casingsuspended between the truss-bars; a motor carried by the casing; andgearing connecting said motor with said driving-axle.

8. In a motor-vehicle,the combination,with a running-gear frame, of aseries of curved truss-bars; bearings carried by said trussbars; asectional driving-axle jonrnaled in said bearings; a casing havingperforated lugs; rods projecting from the truss-bars and passing throughsaid lugs; springs upon which the lugs are sustained; a motor carried bythe casing; and means for connecting said motor with the driving-axle.

9. In a motor-vehicle,the combination,with the body thereof, of amotive-fluid generator supported by said body; a running gear frame;triagonally-disposed truss-bars constituting a part of said frame; amotor snspended between said truss-bars; and connections between saidmotor and the motive-fluid generator. V

10. In a motor-Vehicle, the combination, with the running-gear framethereof, of a series of curved truss-bars located at the rear of saidrunning-gear frame; a driving-axle composed of yielding sectionsjournaled in bearings with which said truss-bars are connected; a casinghaving perforated lugs; rods projecting from two of the truss-bars andinserted through said lugs; springs supported by said rods above andbelow the lugs; and means connecting said motor with the driving-axle.

11. In a motor-vehicle, the combination, with the body thereof, of arunning gear frame; a steering-axle and its wheels; steering mechanism;a series of curved truss-bars triagonally disposed at the rear of saidframe; bearings at the ends of said bars; a sectional driving-axlejournaled in said bearings and carrying the driving-wheels; a motoryieldingly suspended between the truss-bars; and gearing connecting saidmotor with the driving-axle.

12. In a motor-Vehicle, the combination, with the body thereof, of arunning-gear frame; a series of curved truss-bars connected to the rearend of said frame; a driving-axle journaled in bearings connected tosaid trussbars; a casing yieldingly supported between the truss-bars;gearing carried by the casing; and means connecting said gearing withthe driving-axle.

I3. In a motor-vehicle, the combination, with a driving-axle, of aseries of triagonallydisposed tru ss-bars; tie-rods or tubes connectingthe top and bottom truss-bars; tie-rods or tubes uniting the bottomtruss-bars; aframe suspended between the truss-bars; and a m0- torcarried by said frame and connected with the drivin g-axle.

DANIEL T. CLARK. Witnesses:

JOHN W. FRANCISCO, E. H. BOHM.

